TWO U.S. warships arrived in Manila’s South Harbor on Wednesday and another will dock at the Port of Cebu on Thursday for goodwill activities, including donation of books and medical supplies to poor communities.

The US guided cruiser USS Chosin (CG-65) will arrive on Thursday at the Port of Cebu as part of the US Navy’s goodwill mission to the Philippines. The three US warships will be on Philippine waters until September 16.

Capt. Michael Brooks, US naval attaché to Manila, said the guided missile destroyers USS Milius (DDG-69) and USS Chung-Hoon (DDG-93) are now docked at Pier 13 of Manila’s South Harbor.

Brooks said that the ships are in the Philippines for purely friendship-building activities and will not participate in any military training or combat exercise.

USS Milius arrived at around 9 a.m. on Wednesday in Manila’s South Harbor.

Sen. Rodolfo Biazon said the visit of the US warships was “suspicious” because they came just as the Sandiganbayan came out with its decision convicting former President Joseph Estrada on two counts of plunder and sentencing him to life imprisonment.

“These visits reflect the long-standing military, historical and personal ties between our countries as well as our continued commitment to work together to assist people in need of humanitarian outreach,” said Brooks in an interview at the Manila South Harbor on Wednesday.

The sailors, composed mostly of Filipino-Americans, will participate in Gawad Kalinga housing projects.

US Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney said the visit of the three US ships signify that the American people are committed to “working with our friends and partners in the Philippines.”

“These ships that are visiting the Philippines demonstrate the strength of our partnership, and I know that the dedicated men and women onboard are looking forward to seeing this beautiful country,” said Kenney in a statement on Wednesday.

USS Milius, USS Chung-Hoon and USS Chosin all serve in the US Navy’s Seventh Fleet. At sea, these ships protect vital world trade routes and participate in regional naval exercises to foster international naval cooperation, said Brooks.

He said that an average of 60 US ships visit the Philippines every year, with 30 of them engaged in military exercises with their local counterparts.

DAVAO CITY—The conviction of former President Joseph Estrada on plunder charges could be the huge morale booster for the Courts, and even the entire justice system, in a country where the people are resigned to corruption as a twin of public service.

THE elaborate and tight security preparations taken by the government in relation to Wednesday’s sentencing of former President Joseph Estrada proved to be a useless undertaking and a waste of taxpayers’ money as not one of the scenarios factored in occurred or took place.

THE chief investigator in the Senate’s on-going investment scam inquiry found that strategic government agencies, including the Securities and Exchange Commission and the National Bureau of Investigation have been remiss in their duties to check the proliferation of pyramiding, Ponzi and related investment schemes.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Tons of relief goods have arrived in Jolo, Sulu, from Manila for the thousands of evacuees who fled the fighting between government forces and al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf bandits.

TWO U.S. warships arrived in Manila’s South Harbor on Wednesday and another will dock at the Port of Cebu on Thursday for goodwill activities, including donation of books and medical supplies to poor communities.

THE Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday affirmed a ruling of the Court of Appeals and the Ombudsman finding a former Education department undersecretary administratively liable in connection with the purchase of vehicles amounting to P21.5 million in 1998 without public bidding.